Internal-combustion engine



1954 A. H. WINKLER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed July 10, 1944 z N l N m T Q H \m. W my 45 n Q Q 58 S n n. 5 Aw and! null" nun" Qw MN QQ 1/ NEMNSQQSQ ATTOENEY United States PatentO INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Aibert- H. Winkler, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Original application July 10, 1944, Serial No. 544,266, now Patent No. 2,503,930, dated April 11, 1950. Divided and this, application February 5, 1948, Serial No. 6,527

4 Claims. (Cl. 12359) This invention relates to engine control means and more particularly to such control means for providing improved engine performance under various operating conditions. this application is a division of Winkter et al. application Serial No. 544,266, filed July 10, 1944, now Patent No. 2,503,930, for Engine Control Means.

The internal combustion engines in most present day automotive vehicles must operate throughout a wide range of speed and power and with. such an arrangement etficiency in the use of fuel is low during a large part of the time inasmuch as the engine cannot operate in a favorable speed and-load range during the greater part of its operating time.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide means for improving the operating characteristics of internal combustion engines and broaden the speed range and partial load operating conditions so that better performance and economy can be obtained.

The present invention further contemplates the use of a split engine arrangement, by which is meant herein that under certain operating conditions some of the cylinders of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine are at times cut out or rendered inoperative for producing power and do not draw a fuel charge into the cylinders thus reducing the total fuel consumption of the engine, such cylinders being cut out when the load on the engine is light and relatively little power is required, as when the vehicle in which the engine is installed is being operated with little or no load above its own weight. During heavy load requirements all the cylinders are operating.

A further object is to provide means to control the various factors or elements above mentioned so that operation of the engine is smooth throughout its entire range of operation. Various factors may be employed in the control means such as manually actuated-means, engine speed, induction system pressures, the mass rate of air flow or volume rate of air flow, electrical means, and/ or hydraulic means.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sulficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings which represent certain preferred embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed, and I contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the split engine mechanism and the control means therefor; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the engine valve actuating mechanism.

Throughout the drawings and specification, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts, although where such parts are modified in structure and operation they are given a further differing reference character.

In this application, a split engine is to be consideredone in which a portion of the cylinders, as for example half of the cylinders, function in the normal manner but the remaining cylinders are rendered inoperative, the intake and exhaust valves of said remaining cylinders being continually seated or closed when the engine is split. With such an arrangement, the ignition can be 'cut out for the latter cylinders or it may remain operative as desired.

Referring first tov Figure, 1, there is shown diagrammati- Y operative or cut out.

2,694,387 Patented. Nov. 16,v 1954 2 cally aportion of theintake and exhaust valve mechanism for aplural number of cylinders of an internal combustion engine with the controls for cutting said cylinders out orin.

Split engine mechanism The split engine contemplated for use in the present arrangement wherein a portion of the cylinders are adapted to be rendered inoperative for delivering power, preferably should have eight cylinders and under conditions of light load, half of the cylinders are rendered in- However, a different number of cylinders maybe cut out. Further, it is to be understood that this portion of the invention is not to be considered as being limited to an eight cylinder engine, for plural cylinder engines having other numbers of cylinders may be used andany desired number of said cylinders may be cut out as desired or required by the particular installation, the number of cylinders cut out being readily determinable by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings, Figure 1, only a portion of the intake and exhaust valve mechanism of four cylinders is shown, as it is believed tobe unnecessary to a full understanding of the invention to show the valve mechanism of all the cylinders, it being understood, of course, that each cylinder is provided with an intake and an exhaust valve and that. the group of cylinders not shown is adapted to function at all such times as the engine is operating. In the arrangement of Figure l, the valves shown are to be considered those of one bank of a V-eight engine and are the valves. of cylinders adapted to be rendered inoperative at times, it being understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in an in-line and in other types of engines.

the valve mechanism and controls therefor herein disclosed, comprise exhaust valve stems 10 and intake valve stems 12, each of which is engaged by a valve pusher 14 slidable in. a valve guide 16, said valve pushers being disposed in the upper portionof the respective valve guides, as shown. The lower portion of each of the guides 16 has a cam follower 18 slideably disposed therein. Each of the followers 18 is adapted for engagement, with respective cams 29. A spring22 is provided in each valve guide and reacts between the valve pusher and cam follower, urging same apart, said springs being of substantially less strength than the springs of the intake andexhaust valves urging said-valves closed. Means is provided for supplying oil to the space in the valve guides between the valve pushersand cam followers, said means comprising conduits 24 for the'exhaust valves and conduits 26 for the intake valves. The conduits 24 and 26 are connected witha tube 28'comprising thebody of a hydraulic control valve and the points ofconnection of said conduits 24 and-26 with the tube 28 are spaced longitudinally of said tube. A sliding valve member 30 is disposed in the tube 28 and member 30 is provided with a plurality of annular grooves'32 and 33 therein spaced longitudinally apart relative to the length of the member 30, there being a vent 31 in an end wall 33 of tube 23 to-eliminate undesirable pressures between saidwall 33 and the adjacent end of the member 30 and thereby. prevent interference with reciprocable movements of member 30.

Means for actuating the valve member 30 comprises a piston 46 connected with said member and reciprocably mounted in a cylinder 48, said piston having an annular groove 47 therein and passages 49 which connect the groove with the interior of said piston. A spring 50 urges the piston to the left, as shown in the drawings, and movement of said piston to the left is limited by a longitudinally projecting, reduced diameter portion 52 of the piston head which is ad pted to abut against the adjacent end wall 54-of the cylinder, thereby spacing the head of the piston from said cvlinder end.

In the present showing, the engine valve control mechanism also includes means for actuating-the piston 46 and oil for actuating said piston is supplied from an oil reservoir, which may be the engine crank case. Such oil is supplied under. pressure by an oil pump, not shown, driven by the engine or by any other, suitable means, it being understood'that other liquids than oil may be used and that. other means may be provided-for supplyingthe- 4 liquid under pressure. either. fromthe,crankcase-or from,

some other source of supply. The oil is delivered through a conduit 34 which communicates with a conduit 36 having branches 40 and 42, respectively, which are connected with the tube member 28, said connections being longitudinally spaced with respect to tube 28. Check valves 44 are provided in each branch conduit 40 and 42 to prevent backflow therethrough. Also included in the means for controlling the engine intake and exhaust valves which are adapted to be rendered inoperative at times, is a solenoid operated valve having a casing 56 with ports 55 and 57 in opposite ends thereof, the port 55 being connected with the conduit 34 and the port 57 being connected with a conduit 58 which communicates with a reservoir 60 having a pipe 62 through which oil is returned to the crank case. The conduit 58 has a branch 64 which communicates with the cylinder 48 behind the piston when the latter is in the position shown in the drawings, and a second branch 65 of restricted capacity which communicates with the cylinder adjacent its right hand end, the purpose of this arrangement being hereinafter described. The conduit 58 also has a plurality of branch conduits 66 and 67 which communicate with the tube 28 between the conduits 24 and 26, the connections of conduits 66 with the tube 28 being spaced further from the adjacent connections of conduits 24 than the connections of conduits 67 are spaced from adjacent conduits 26. The cylinder 48 is connected with the valve casing 56 by a conduit 68 which communicates with the left hand end of said cylinder ahead of the piston 46, the conduit 68 being connected to said casing adjacent the left hand end thereof. There is also a branch pipe or conduit 70 from conduit 68 which communicates with the right hand end of said casing.

Within the casing there is a slidable valve member 72 having tapered ends which are adapted to cooperate with the respective ports 55 and 57, said ends being adapted to close said ports, there being a spring 74 which reacts against a flange 76 of the valve member 72 and urges said member to the left for normally closing the port 55 of the casing 56. A solenoid 78 is mounted in the valve casing 56 and receives the member 72 in a central opening thereof, said solenoid being adapted, when energized, to actuate the valve member 72 to the right for closing the port 57 of casing 56 and opening the port 55.

An electrical control system for the solenoid is provided and comprises a suitable source of power, which is shown as a battery 80, having a ground 82 and a connection 84 with the solenoid in which an ignition switch 86 may be interposed if desired so that the solenoid may be energized only when the ignition is turned on. The solenoid also has a connection 88 with an overcontrol switch, indicated generally at 90 in open position, said switch being a manual one, preferably operated from the instrument panel or dash of the vehicle, and is provided with a grounded contact point 92. A second contact 94 has a wire 96 leading to a snap switch indicated generally at 98. The snap switch, which is shown in closed position, includes a lever 100 mounted on a grounded pivot pin 102 and carrying a contact 104 adapted to engage a contact 106 to which wire 96 is connected. An actuating lever 108 pivoted at one end on pin 102 is moved on a plane about said pin relative to lever 100. A spring 110 provides a resilient connection between the said levers 100 and 108. The end of lever 108 opposite pin 102 is connected to a longitudinally movable rod 112 which in turn is connected to a lever 114 fixed to a rotatable shaft 116 said shaft being connected to the usual conventional manu ally actuated accelerator pedal, not shown, which is adapted to effect rotation of the shaft 116 and thereby effect operative movement of the lever 114, and longitudinal movement of rod 112. As rod 112 moves longitudinally to the left, as shown in the drawings, lever 108 is moved in a counterclockwise direction about pin 102, carrying spring 110 to the left. When spring 110 passes over the pivot pin, it snaps lever 100 to the left in a clockwise direction around pin 102, moving contact 104 from contact 106.

The overcontrol switch 94 is preferably operated from the dash to provide means for manually cutting out the cylinders or rendering them operative, or connecting the solenoid with the mechanical acting solenoid switch 96 which is controlled in connection with the control mechanism for the carburetor throttle valves and the supercharger as will be hereinafter described.

Operation of the split engine mechanism With the parts of the split engine control mechanism in the positions shown in Figure 1, and oil filling the various conduits above described, the general operation of the device is as follows: Oil underpressure is delivered by the engine oil pump through pipes 34, 36 and branch pipes 40 and 42, thence through grooves 32 in the member 30 to the pipes 24 and 26 for the exhaust and intake valves respectively. The conduits 24 and 26, being connected with the interior of the valve guides 16 as best shown in Figure 2, deliver oil into said guides between the valve pushers 14 and the cam followers 18, the oil from said conduits 24 and 26 being delivered into annular grooves 120 of the valve pushers 14 and thence into the interior of said pushers by way of ports 122. The grooves 120 are of such length and so associated with the adjacent ends of the conduits 24 and 26 that communication between the conduits 24 and 26 and respective valve guides is provided at all times. The spring 22 normally urges the pusher and cam follower apart and when oil under pump pressure fills the space between said pushers and followers the valves will be actuated by the cams 20 and function in the normal manner.

Should it be desired to cut out certain of the cylinders, ignition switch 86, overcontrol switch and snap switch 98 are closed, thus completing the circuit through solenoid 78 whereupon the solenoid becomes energized and moves the plunger 72 to the right, thereby opening the port 55 of the casing 56 and closing the port 57 thereof. Oil under pressure then is transmitted from conduit 34, through the left hand end of casing 56 and to conduit 68, thence into the cylinder 48 ahead of the piston 46. The pressure of oil forces the piston 46 to the right which effects movement to the right of the member 30, the rate of such movement being determined by the rate the oil can flow from the cylinder 48 behind said piston. As the piston moves to the right, oil behind it escapes from the cylinder through the passages 64 and 65, the movement of the piston being rapid until it passes and closes passage 64, due to the fact that the combined areas of passages 64 and 65 permit a rapid discharge of the liquid from the cylinder behind the piston. When piston 46 cuts off the flow of liquid into passage 64 the rate of piston travel is substantially reduced as the fiow through passage 65 is restricted. Then, when groove 47 comes into communication with passage 64, as the piston continues its rearward movement at a reduced rate, the rate of flow from the piston increases due to the escape of oil from the cylinder through orifices 49, groove 47 and passage 64 as well as passage 65. The piston travel becomes rapid until said piston reaches the end of its rearward stroke or movement to the right, the purpose of this arrangement being hereinafter described.

Referring to the grooves 32 and 33 in the member 30, it 15 to be noted that they are so arranged that when the member 30 is at its limit of movement to the left, the conduits 40 communicate with the grooves 32 substantially centrally relative to their ends and the conduits 42 communicate with the grooves 33 adjacent the left ends thereof. The conduits 24 and 26 communicate with the respective grooves 32 and 33 adjacent their right hand ends. Therefore, when the member 30 is moved to the right to its limit of movement, the conduits 40 and 42 are cut oil from communication with the respective grooves 32 and 33 and said grooves then provide communicating means between the conduits 24, 26 and 66 and 67 respectively whereby the oil between the valve pushers and cam followers of the intake and exhaust valves escapes through the conduits 24, 26 and 66 and 67 and is carried to the reservoir 60 through the pipe 58. Thereafter the cam followers are actuated by the cams but are incapable of transmitting pressure through the oil to the valve pushers. Thus, the cylinders of one bank of the engine are rendered inoperative inasmuch as they cannot be charged with fuel mixture from the carburetor, the other bank of cylinders being, of course, operative in the usual manner. It is to be understood, of course, that some cylinders may be cut out 'in each bank of a V-eight engine, the cylinders to be cut out being readily determinable by those skilled in the art, said cylinders being selected in accordance with the part cular characteristics of crankshaft structure and firing arrangement.

When the solenoid 78 is de-energized, spring 74 moves the plunger 72 to the left for closing the port 55 and opening the port 57 of the casing 56. Spring 50 then urges the piston 46 to the left and oil ahead of the piston is forced out through the conduits 68, 70, the right side of the casing and into the pipe 58 which delivers it to the reservoir 60 and thence it is returned to the crank case of the engine. The speed of travel of the piston is determined largely by the rate that oil is allowed to enter the cylinder behind the piston.

In order to prevent excessive pressure building up in the cylinders which are cut out, the exhaust valves thereor" should operate a little longer than the intake valves when said cylinders are being cut out, and said exhaust valves should begin operation before the intake valves when bringing the cylinders back into operation. This is effected by the proper spacing of the conduits 24, 26, 66, 40 and 42 relative to the tube 28 and the grooves 32, as above described, and when the member 30 is actuated to the right, the sequence of operations is as follows: The grooves 33 connect the conduits 26 and 67 together before the conduit 42 is cut off. There is then a time lapse before grooves 32 connect conduits 24 and 66 together. After the latter connection is made the conduit 40 is cut off. Thus the pressure in the valve guides for the intake valves is relieved earlier than the pressure in the guides for the exhaust valves. Further, as the first portion of the movement of the member 30 is extremely rapid there is a quick relief of oil pressure in the intake valve guides and consequently a quick rendering of the intake valves inoperative. As subsequent movement of member 30 to the right is at a reduced speed, there is sufficient delay in rendering the exhaust valves inoperative to prevent building up of excessive pressures in the cylinders of the engine which are being cut out. The latter portion of the movement to the right of the member 30 is rapid and occurs after the exhaust valves have been cut out.

Return movement of member 30 (movement to the left) occurs in reverse sequence to that above described and the first portion of the movement is relatively rapid, followed by movement at a slower rate during the time the exhaust valves are rendered operative, the connection between the conduits 24 and 66 being broken before the connection between the conduits 26 and 67 and oil is supplied to the exhaust valve guides before it is supplied to the intake valve guides. After the exhaust valves are rendered operative, the intake valves are rapidly brought into operation.

It is to be noted that as lever 114 is rotated in the clockwise direction, lever 108 of the split engine control is moved in a counterclockwise direction and when the lever 114 passes position 3, lever 108 passes position 3a, causing spring 110 to pass across the axis 102 of levers 108 and 100 and effect sudden clockwise movement of the latter to break the solenoid circuit. This results in the bringing into operation the cylinders of the engine heretofore inoperative and the engine then operates upon all its cylinders in the normal manner. It is to be noted that the snap switch 98 will not return to its closed circuit position until the lever 114 has rotated counterclockwise beyond position 3. As shown in the drawing, the overcontrol switch 90 is open and consequently the solenoid is not energized when switch 98 is closed.

While the foregoing arrangement is preferred, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto for other arrangements may be provided within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept in its broader aspects.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of normal cylinders, a plurality of power cylinders, an intake and exhaust valve for each of said cylinders, and an actuating cam for each of said valves: a hydraulic mechanism for each valve of the power cylinders adapted to transmit motion from the cam to said valves, comprising a pair of opposed reciprocable pistons defining a fluid chamber therebetween, conduits for delivering fluid to said chambers, and a control valve in each of said conduits so constructed and arranged that when in one position fluid is delivered to the chambers and in another position fluid is withdrawn from the chambers whereby the power cylinders are rendered operative and inoperative, respectively.

2. In an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve, a plurality of normal cylinders, a plurality of power cylinders, an intake and exhaust valve for each of said cylinders, and an actuating cam for each of said valves: a hydraulic mechanism for each valve of the power cylinders adapted to transmit motion from the cams to said valves, comprising a cylinder, a pair of opposed reciprocable pistons in said cylinder defining a fluid chamber therebetween, conduits for delivering fluid to said chambers, control valves in said conduits so constructed and arranged that when in one position fluid is delivered to the chambers and in another position fluid is withdrawn from the chambers, a hydraulic means for actuating said control valves, and a solenoid actuated valve for controlling said hydraulic means in response to the movement of the throttle valve.

3. In an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve, a plurality of normal cylinders, a plurality of power cylinders, an intake and exhaust valve for each of said cylinders, and an actuating means for each for said valves: a hydraulic mechanism for each valve of the power cylinders adapted to transmit motion from the actuating means to said valves comprising a cylinder, a pair of opposed reciprocable pistons defining a fluid chamber therebetween, a resilient means urging said pistons apart, conduits for delivering fluid to said chambers, control valves in said conduits so constructed and arranged that when in one position fluid is delivered to the chambers and in another position fluid is withdrawn from the chambers, a hydraulic means for actuating said control valves, a solenoid for controlling said hydraulic means in response to the movement of the throttle valve, and a manually actuated switch for controlling said solenoid.

4. In a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having a cam shaft and a throttle, an intake and an exhaust valve for each of said cylinders, a tappet for each of said valves, the tappets for the valves of only a portion of said cylinders comprising a cylindrical member and opposed movable walls forming a fluid chamber, a conduit for supplying fluid to said chamber between said movable walls, an oil pump for supplying fluid under pressure to said conduit, a valve means in said conduit, and a means responsive to the movement of said throttle for controlling said valve means to bleed out the fluid from said chamber and thereby render the corresponding valve inoperative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,201,055 Jones Oct. 10, 1916 1,623.176 Funderburk Apr. 5, 1927 1,965,517 Vitalini July 3, 1934 1,977,778 Rice Oct. 23, 1934 1,985,447 Grubbs Dec. 25, 1934 2,019,252 Cottingham Oct. 29, 1935 2,186,043 Rohlin Jan. 9, 1940 2,250,814 Rohlin July 29, 1941 2,394,738 Anthony Feb. 12, 1946 

